La Camargue Saigon

A long-time favourite amongst Ho Chi Minh’s expat community, Camargue is a refined French restaurant within the courtyard of an old colonial-era opium factory in downtown Saigon. This fine-dining restaurant has long been an expat and tourist favorite. After a 15-year run in downtown Ho Chi Minh City, Camargue relocated not far away to the courtyard on Hai Ba Trung next to Vasco’s Bar. The warm décor and quiet ambiance remain unchanged. Camargue is a charming must-visit in South East Asia.

Introduction

The two-storey establishment is set along Hai Ba Trung Street, one of the most fashionable streets in the city. Exuding a relaxed yet sophisticated ambience, the villa-style Camargue Saigon is fitted with high ceilings with exposed beams, subdued lighting, tiled flooring, earth-toned furniture, lit candles, and a private dining room with air-conditioning. The service here is also professional with a team of attentive yet unobtrusive staff on hand – perfect for an intimate evening with loved ones.

Camargue Saigon via Nha hang Camargue – wordpress.com

Food menu

Its extensive food menu is helmed by French-born chef, Mickael Le Calvez, presenting French delicacies with a touch of Vietnamese influence, with standout dishes such as seabass and squid served with sweet chard, roast lamb with polenta enriched with Phu Puoc pepper, chateaubriand with foie gras, and crispy pork leg marinated in a slight spice and caramelised artichoke. Catering to its loyal clientele, Camargue Saigon also changes its chef’s recommendation menu on a weekly basis to keep things interesting.
Camargue Saigon via Nha hang Camargue – wordpress.com

For our entrée, we had the Salade Compsee aux Copeaux De Jambon Serrano. Basically slices of Serrano Ham spread over mixed “oriental” salad. It was decent but not great.

We then had the Tagliatelle aux Deux Saumon A La Crème, which was smoked and fresh salmon in a cream sauce. It was tasty, though not earth-shatteringly good.

For our main dish, we had the Magret De Canard aux 5Poivres, Poelee d’Haricots Verts Sautees A Lail. A dish of grilled and sliced duck breast, seasoned with 5 peppers, and green beans sautéed in garlic. This dish was surprisingly good. It wasn’t the best duck I’ve had, but it is the highlight of the night.

Finally, for dessert we had a simple Crème Brulee with 3 different flavors. Simple but satisfying.

Recommendation

Great for enjoying the rest of the evening at the terrace upstairs, an excellent wine list is also available at Camargue Saigon, offering imported red and white options for about VND 900,000 per glass. Due to its popularity and food quality, it’s worth noting that the price range here is higher compared to most international restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City. We also highly recommend visitors to make a reservation at least 24 hours beforehand due to the popularity of this fashionable restaurant.